Examining the Ottawa Senators

The Ottawa Senators have registered four-straight seasons with 100 or more points in the standings and capped that run of excellence in 2006-07 with a trip to the Stanley Cup Final, where they suffered a disappointing four-games-to-one loss to Anaheim.

So, was the Game 5 loss to the dominant Ducks in early June the end of the line for this team, which has been one of the elite teams during the past decade?

Defensively, Wade Redden, Chris Phillips and Anton Volchenkov carry the load, providing the impetus to Ottawa’s stingy defense, which allowed just 222 goals last season. Only two teams in the East allowed fewer.